The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Tactical Rifle & Carbine => Topic started by: BAC on May 09, 2012, 04:57:22 PM
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Visited local gun shop today to see if they were hiring (not) and saw some nice things. First was an older Smith Model 10 in really nice condition on consignment for $339.
Second was an AR from Windham Weaponry. Bushmaster Firearms was bought out by a big conglomerate that moved manufacturing to New York. Hundreds of people were left out of work in rural Maine. But the former owner came out of retirement to put men and machines together again to make ARs.
They had a model called the Varmint Exterminator that really caught my eye. it was very solid, had a great feel, and a very nice single stage trigger. I couldn't believe the price on it was only $1049. Anyone here have any experience with their products?
I would love to be able to afford one, but not so much. So I am going to price components to see if I can build something similar for my next project.
(http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp244/bchiaravalle/VEX-SS-L.jpg)
(http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp244/bchiaravalle/VarmintExterminator.jpg)
It looks like it would make a decent 3-gun rifle, too.
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None have made it "down here" that I have seen. But reads like they put some thought into the pistol grip and components.
Is a 20" barrel better for three gun type matches? Looks solid...Would love to hear and/or see it in action at the range.
Didn't see any type of flash hider/compensator in the photo. Does it have one? Or is that an option?
For a Varmint Exterminator, I would have expected a small rail mount for a bipod option.... ???
At least those that are left in Maine, are building AR's.....better than the 99 week plan.... :P
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None have made it "down here" that I have seen. But reads like they put some thought into the pistol grip and components.
Is a 20" barrel better for three gun type matches? Looks solid...Would love to hear and/or see it in action at the range.
Didn't see any type of flash hider/compensator in the photo. Does it have one? Or is that an option?
(http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp244/bchiaravalle/11.jpg)
For a Varmint Exterminator, I would have expected a small rail mount for a bipod option.... ???
(http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp244/bchiaravalle/01.jpg)
At least those that are left in Maine, are building AR's.....better than the 99 week plan.... :P
As far as 3 gun goes, it seems that 18" barrels are all the rage right now, but those are a lot less plentiful than 20".
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Windham's have a really good rep, and just to support them for what the new (old) owner did to keep everyone working, I was going to buy some stripped lowers. They, like damn near everyone else, do not have them. Apparently everyone is making rifles to meet demand and there are no spare lowers except from no-name outfits.
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Windham's have a really good rep, and just to support them for what the new (old) owner did to keep everyone working, I was going to buy some stripped lowers. They, like damn near everyone else, do not have them. Apparently everyone is making rifles to meet demand and there are no spare lowers except from no-name outfits.
Glad I got my POF billet lower early last year as they are still available.....but have raised, doubled the price...... :-\
http://www.pof-usa.com/lower/P415-GENIII-STRIPPED-LOWER.htm
here's a good one for a build 80 bucks...hardly "no name"....
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/firearms/receivers/psa-ar15-lower.html
Rainier has some stripped billet lowers for less, from mega arms,,....on back order.... :P
http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=2538
Methinks folks are catching the build an AR bug....
Demand seems to be way up......
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$325 for a stripped lower? ? ? ? ? ? Hang on a second, let me pull the turnip greens out of my ears. Boy, howdy do I want a mess o'them!!!
Not!
POF I know, they have a good rep, but again there's that whole $325 thing. I know nothing about the Palmetto, and they and the (slightly less grossly) overpriced Mega Arms lower are part of what I would have referred to as "no name" - they just ain't that prevalent. I can't recall anything in paper or online that reviews them, although admittedly I have not looked. I'm sure ARF.com has something.
Hell, though, DSA is advertising their lower for $120 which is about 1/3 lower than it was a year ago. Why would I go with someone I have never heard of or which has no easily discernible track record?
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Member bafsu, no stranger to AR builds and components, and myself as well, have commended PSA, for staying within reason on pricing for quality stuff...the manufacturer, like gas prices, sets the price...
I paid $119 for a multi caliber POF stripped lower last year....for my Frankenstein build, with a Bushmaster lower parts kit for around $60.
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/twyacht/ARBuild005.jpg)
(http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm182/twyacht/POF2.jpg)
One can still find DPMS stripped lowers for $70. +/-.....Which I also would be more than happy to throw two or three in the safe for a rainy day.
But PSA holds up...If demand is up,...prices go up.....I think Brownells has Armalite stripped lowers for $150 ish?
Easy on the turnip greens,.... ;D
The LaRue stuff, is off the charts for pricing, but IMHO, is not needed. Just comes down to preference.
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http://www.spikestactical.com/new/z/lowers-c-104.html?zenid=a8d9dc40aa424e81dce6b161ca041db7
http://cmmginc.secure-mall.com/shop/?cat=87